Carpenter's back, Cardinals top Cubs 2-1

May 21, 2009 - 8:03 AM
By R.B. FALLSTROM
AP Sports Writer

ST. LOUIS(AP) -- Chris Carpenter's first pitch to Alfonso Soriano
was his first to a hitter in more than a month. Two pitches
later, Soriano was a strikeout victim, jump-starting Carpenter's
dazzling return to form.

After missing five starts, the 2005 NL Cy Young winner was back
on his game without a rehab assignment.

"How do you do that?" manager Tony La Russa asked. "It's just
amazingly impressive that he would be able to shut that club out
for five innings."

Chris Duncan snapped a 1-for-21 slump with two hits and drove in
a run and the bullpen allowed two hits and a run as the
Cardinals shut down the Cubs' offense for the second straight
game. Joel Pineiro threw a three-hit shutout on Tuesday.

Ryan Franklin, the Cardinals' fifth pitcher, earned his 10th
save in 11 chances after a shaky ninth. Pinch-hitter Micah
Hoffpauir had a two-out RBI single and the Cubs had two men on
before pinch-hitter Reed Johnson struck out.

"We knew he was on a short leash, and we also knew whenever he'd
come out there was a good chance we'd be winning or tied,"
Franklin said. "We've just got that much confidence in the guy."

Khalil Greene, relegated to a utility role while mired in a
2-for-23 slump, added a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning as a
pinch hitter.

Ryan Dempster (3-3) allowed six hits and two runs in seven
innings as Chicago lost its third straight.

"We're just not doing anything," said Milton Bradley, who
doubled and scored in the ninth. "I'm the main culprit. Terrible
at-bats."

Carpenter (2-0) gave up three hits in his first outing since he
strained a left ribcage muscle April 14 at Arizona. He has not
allowed a run in 15 innings over three starts.

The Cubs missed two shots to get to Carpenter, putting two men
on with two outs in the first before first baseman Albert Pujols
made a nice stab to his right on Bradley's grounder. Ryan
Theriot was stranded at second after a one-out double in the
third after Kosuke Fukudome flied out and Derrek Lee struck out.

Pujols legged out a leadoff double in the fourth on a ball up
the middle to give the Cardinals their first runner in scoring
position. He advanced on a sacrifice before scoring on Duncan's
hit, which ended an 0-for-14 slump.

"Anytime you can contribute in any way, I think it's
satisfying," Duncan said.

Marlins 8, Diamondbacks 6, first game=

Diamondbacks 11, Marlins 9, 13 innings, second game=

At Miami, Justin Upton's second three-run homer of the game in
the 13th inning gave Arizona a split of the doubleheader that
was overshadowed by the death of Diamondbacks pitcher Scott
Schoeneweis' wife.

In Arizona, the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said deputies
found 39-year-old Gabrielle Dawn Schoeneweis' body on the floor
of the master bedroom in the family's home shortly after noon
Wednesday. The reliever returned to Arizona.

In the opener, Dan Uggla homered and drove in four runs for
Florida. Chris Volstad (3-3) struck out a career-high nine and
won for the first time since April 14. The 22-year-old
right-hander allowed four runs and five hits in six innings.

In the second game, which lasted nearly 5 hours, the teams both
scored in the 12th: Mark Reynolds hit his second homer of the
game for Arizona, and Chris Coghlan tied it with an RBI
single.

Dodgers 2, Mets 1=

At Los Angeles, Russell Martin drove in the go-ahead run with an
eighth-inning single off J.J. Putz (1-3) and the Dodgers
completed a three-game sweep. The defending NL West champions
improved their major league-best record to 29-13.

Rookie left-hander Brent Leach (1-0) got his first major league
win, and Jonathan Broxton pitched a scoreless ninth for his 11th
save.

At Atlanta, Yunel Escobar hit a three-run homer in a nine-run
fourth inning for the Braves, who lost infielder Omar Infante
for two months after he was hit on the hand with a pitch,
breaking a bone.

Astros 6, Brewers 4=

At Houston, Wandy Rodriguez (5-2) allowed one run and six hits
in seven innings, and Miguel Tejada and Hunter Pence both had
two RBIs as the Astros ended Milwaukee's six-game winning
streak.

Lance Berkman had an RBI double, and Rodriguez drove in his
first run of the season as the Astros - caught batting out of
order in the first inning - handed Milwaukee its third loss in
16 games.

Padres 2, Giants 1=

At San Diego, Kevin Kouzmanoff's homer was one of just four hits
for the Padres, who won their fifth straight. Chad Gaudin (1-3)
won for the first time in five starts and Heath Bell pitched a
perfect ninth for his 11th save.

The Giants lost for the sixth time in seven games.

Pirates 2, Nationals 1=

At Washington, Joel Hanrahan's wild pitch with two outs in the
ninth inning allowed the winning run to score from third base
and the Pirates extended their winning streak to a season-high
five straight. Washington has lost seven straight overall, and
this was the first one in the streak when the Nationals failed
to score at least five runs.